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BC's minimum wage increase is an insult to working families

VANCOUVER, March 12, 2015 /CNW/ - Today's announcement by Labour Minister Shirley Bond that the minimum wage will be fixed at $10.45 in today's dollars for the indefinite future is legislating poverty, according to Canada's largest union in the private sector.

"Seattle's minimum wage is $15. British Columbians toiling at the minimum wage won't reach that rate until 2034," said Joie Warnock, Unifor's Western Director. "The Christy Clark government is clearly doubling down on its budget strategy to make the wealthy their priority."

In the 2015 budget, the provincial government lowered taxes on BC's highest income earners at a public cost of more than $200,000,000.

Bond's announcement today that the minimum wage will increase by $0.20 goes against the North American trend of increasing minimum wage towards a rate that reflects a family's real costs of living.

More than 120,000 British Columbians earn the minimum wage, more than 63% of which are women.

"The Christy Clark government is out of touch with today's working families," said Warnock. "Unifor will continue to press for a $15 minimum wage so that no worker has to choose between rent and food."

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing more than 305,000 workers. It was formed Labour Day weekend 2013 when the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions merged.